Plumbing aid



H. R. GREER PLUMBING AID Aug.. 11, 1964 Filed Feb. 8, 1963 INVENTORHenry R. Greer ATTHNEHS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. R. GREER PLUMBING AIDINVENTOR. Y Henry R. Greer BY JM, @pkw 79m@ ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,143,744 PLUMBING All) Henry R. Greer, 690 Juniper St. NE.,Atlanta, Ga. Filed Feb. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 257,194 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-192)This invention relates to building construction and modification, andmore particularly to a panel for a building which permits the easy andconvenient installation of plumbing in a new or modified building byeven an unskilled worker.

For both the skilled and unskilled worker, the layout and installationof plumbing in the most eliicient and economical manner is dili'icult.For the homeowner unskilled in the plumbing art, the proper positioningof pipes and iittings and the installation of plumbing withoutstructurally damaging the building is practically impossible.

This invention provides for the convenient installation of plumbing innew construction and during the course of modification of existingconstruction by even the unskilled worker. It insures that pipes areproperly arranged and placed in position in the building. This isaccomplished eii'iciently without the necessity of signincantly alteringthe frame of the building.

These and other improvements in the layout and installation of plumbingare achieved by a plumbing installation aid suitable for use as a wallpanel in a building and having tabs, holes and grooves which determinethe placement of the pipes and fittings for a typical plumbinginstallation. Using the panel of the invention, the plumbing isinstalled not only in the proper position but also with only the scoringof the building frame being necessary. Elaborate or extensive changes inthe frame of the building are unnecessary.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be moreclearly understood from the following detailed description and theaccompanying drawings in which like characters designate correspondingparts in all figures and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the layout of a typical plumbing for abath tub, toilet and wash basin.

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the plumbing installation panel arrangedfor the installation of the typical plumbing installation shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the plumbing installation panelinstalled in a building with the positions of the bath tub, toilet andwash basin in front of the panel indicated in dashed outline.

FIG. 4 is a section View of the plumbing installation panel taken inline 4 4 in FIG. 2 but with the upper portion omitted and with the panelmounted against the studs of the building.

These figures and the following detailed description disclose apreferred speciiic embodiment of the invention, but the invention is notlimited to the details disclosed since the invention may be embodied inother equivalent forms.

This invention is best understood as being a plumbing installation panel1li having grooves 11, holes 12 and tabs 13 which determine the layoutof a typical plumbing installation 14 providing for a bath tub, toiletand wash basin. The plumbing installation panel replaces a portion ofthe wall board which is customarily nailed to the studs 15 of a buildingand like the wall board customarily used, the plumbing installationpanel may be nailed to the studs 15 of the building. Moreover, the frontsurface 16 of the panel 10 may be painted, papered or tiled in the samemanner as wall board.

In the specific embodiment of the invention described herein, the panel10 is suiliciently large to cover all that portion of the interior wall17 of the building in front 3,143,744l Patented Aug. 11, 1964 of whichthe bath tub, toilet and wash basin are to be placed. ln the backsurface 18 of the panel is a pattern of grooves 11 which establish thelayout behind the wall 17 of the hot water pipe 19 to the bath tub andwash basin and of the cold Water pipe 20 to the bath tub, toilet andwash basin. Holes 12 are placed at various points along the grooves 11to establish the locations at which the hot water pipe 19 and cold waterpipe 20 pass through the wall 17 for connection to the bath tub, toiletand wash basin.

The panel 10 has tabs 13 extending behind it and in front of it. Thetabs 13 have holes 21 passing through their ends and the location of thetabs 13, the holes 21 and a hole 22 through the panel 10 establish thelayout behind and through the wall 17 and beneath the floor 23 of thedrain pipe 24 necessary for the particular bath tub, toilet and washbasin installation. The spacing blocks 25 cooperate with the holes 21 inthe tabs 13 in iixing the proper position of the drain pipe 24 behindthe back surface 18 of the panel 10.

The layout and forming of the hot water pipe 19, cold Water pipe 20, anddrain pipe 24 installation necessary for a bath tub, toilet and washbasin can be accomplished by simply forming to lit and placing the hotwater pipe 19 and cold water pipe 20 in accordance with the grooves 11and holes 12 in the panel 10 and the drain pipe 24 in accordance withthe location of the tabs 13, the holes 21 in the tabs 13, the spacingblocks 25, and the hole 22 in the panel 10. The hot Water pipe 19, coldwater pipe 20, and drain pipe 24 installation behind and through thewall 17 can be completely formed in this simple fashion before the panel10 is placed in position against the studs 15 of the wall 17.

The plumbing installation 14 can be fastened to the panel 10 with clipsand brackets of known type and the panel 19 and plumbing installation 14placed in position as part of the wall 17 as a unit or the plumbinginstallation 14 can be irst placed in the position in the wall 17 andthe panel 10, with the tabs 13 removed, subsequently added. In eitherevent, the plumbing installation 14 will have been formed using thegrooves 11, holes 12, 21, and 22, the tabs 13 and the spacing blocks 25.In this connection it is apparent that the grooves 11 may be replaced bylines laid out on the panel 10.

\Vhen the plumbing installation 14 and panel 10 are placed in positionas part of the wall 17, the drain pipe 24 will be between studs 15 andextending beneath the floor and through the panel 10 to the properpositions for draining the bath tub, toilet and Wash basin. The hotwater pipe 19 and cold water pipe 20 will be between and across thestuds 15 and extending through the panel 10. Since the panel 10 servesas a portion of the structure of the wall 17, the thickness of the panel10 is limited to that of the wall board customarily used in building.Thus, the grooves 11 in which the hot water pipe 19 and cold water pipe20 are placed can not be as deep as the diameter of these pipes 19 and20. In order to permit the panel 10 to be placed ush against the studs15, it is necessary to score the studs 15 where the hot water pipe 19and cold water pipe 20 pass across the studs 15 between the studs andthe panel 10. The scores 26 and the grooves 11 form a channel 27 inwhich the hot water pipe 19 and cold water pipe 20 are placed.

The scoring of the studs 15 does not signicantly weaken the studs 15 andis easier to accomplish than the drilling of holes through studs 15which is usually required for a plumbing installation 14. This is trueeven if the grooves 11 are replaced by lines and the channel 27 isformed entirely of the scores 26.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A plumbing installation aid for installing in the wall of a buildingthe plumbing installation for a bath tub, toilet and wash basin, saidwall having studs to which wall board can be attached; said plumbinginstallation to have a hot Water pipe `and a cold Water pipe within andextending through the Wall and a drain pipe with a vertical segmentwithin the Wall, a vertical segment beneath the position occupied by thebathtub, a vertical segment beneath the position occupied by the toilet,and a horizontal segment extending through the wall to the wash basin;and said plumbing installation aid comprising a panel having a backVsurface which Will fit flush against the studs of the Wall, a frontsurface resembling the wall board customarily used in buildings, groovesin its back surface which correspond in position with reference to saidsurface to the positions of the hot Water pipe and cold Water pipe withreference to the back surface of the panel when they are installed inthe wall and the panel is flush against the studs, tabs extending fromand perpendicular to its back surface with holes Whose centerscorrespond in position with reference to the panel to the position ofthe centerline of the vertical segment of the drain pipe Within the Wallwith reference to the panel when the said segment is installed in thewall and the panel is flush against the studs, tabs extending from andperpendicular to its front surface with holes whose cenlters correspondin position with reference to the panel to the positions of thecenterlines of the vertical segment of the drain pipe beneath the bathtub and the vertical segment of the drain pipe beneath the toilet whenthey are installed and the panel is flush against the studs, and holespassing through it at those locations in which the hot water pipe, thecold water pipe and the drain pipe will pass through it when they areinstalled and the panel is ush against the studs.

2. A plumbing aid for installing a plumbing installation in the wall ofa building, said Wall having studs to which wall board can be attached;said plumbing installation having a Water pipe within and extendingthrough the wall and a drain pipe with a vertical segment within theWall, a vertical segment beneath the position occupied by the bath tub,a vertical segment beneath the position occupied by the toilet, and ahorizontal segment extending through the wall to the Wash basin; andsaid plumbing aid comprising a panel having a back surface which will tush against the studs, a front surface resembling the wall boardcustomarily used in buildings, grooves in its back surface whichcorrespond in position With reference to said surface to the position ofthe water pipe with reference to the back surface of the panel when itis installed in the wall and the panel is flush against the studs, tabsextending from and perpendicular to its back surface with holes whosecenters correspond in position with reference to the panel to theposition of the center-line of the vertical segment of the drain pipewithin the wall with reference to the panel when the said segment isinstalled in the Wall and the panel is flush against the studs, tabsextending from and perpendicular to its front surface with holes whosecenters correspond in position with reference to the panel to thepositions of the centerlines of the vertical segment of the drain pipebeneath the bath tub and the vertical segment of the drain pipe beneaththe toilet when they are installed and the panel is flush against thestuds, and Vholes passing through it at those locations in which Waterpipe and drain pipe will pass through it when they are installed and thepanel is ilush against the studs.

3. A plumbing aid for installing a plumbing installation in the Wall ofa building, said Wall having studs to which Wall board can be attached;said plumbing installation `to have a water pipe Within and extendingthrough the Wall and a drain pipe with a vertical segment within thewall; and said plumbing aid having a back surface which Will t flushagainst the studs, a front surface resembling the wall board customarilyused in buildings, indicia on its back surface Whose positions on saidsurface correspond to the position of the water pipe relative to theback surface of the panel when it is installed in the wall and the panelis flush against the studs, tabs extending from and perpendicular to itsback surface with holes Whose centers correspond in position withreference to the panel to the position of the centerline of the verticalsegment of the drain pipe Within the Wall with reference to the panelwhen the said segment is installed in the Wall and the panel is ushagainst the studs, and holes passing through it at those locations inwhich the water pipe will pass through it when it is installed and thepanel is flush against the studs.

4. A plumbing aid for installing a plumbing installation in the wall ofa building, said Wall having studs; said plumbing installation to have aWater pipe Within the Wall and a drain pipe With a vertical segmentWithin the wall; and said plumbing aid comprising a panel having a backsurface which will it ush against the studs, indicia on its back surfacepositioned to correspond in position to the position of the water piperelative to the back surface of the panel when it is installed in theWall and the panel is flush against the studs, and tabs extending fromand perpendicular to its back surface with holes whose centerscorrespond in position with reference to the panel to the position ofthe centerline of the vertical segment of the drain pipe with referenceto the panel when the drain pipe is installed in the wall and the panelis flush against the studs.

5. A plumbing aid for installing a plumbing installation in the Wall ofa building, said Wall having studs; said plumbing installation to have aWater pipe Within and extending through the Wall, and said plumbing aidcomprising a panel having a back surface which Will it flush against thestuds, indicia on its back surface positioned to correspond in positionto the position of the water pipe relative to the back surface of thepanel when the water pipe is installed in the Wall and the panel isflush against the studs, and holes passing through the panel at thoselocations in which the water pipe will pass therethrough when it isinstalled and the panel is flush against the studs; -means independentof said holes for locating a drain pipe with respect to said Water pipeinwardly of said panel.

6. A plumbing aid for installing a plumbing installation in the Wall ofa building, said Wall having studs; said plumbing installation to have aWater pipe Within the wall; and said plumbing aid comprising a panelhaving a back surface which will iit ilush against the studs, andindicia on the back surface of said panel positioned to correspond inposition to the position of the water pipe relative `to the back surfaceof the panel when the water pipe is installed in the Wall and the panelis ush against the studs; and positioning means for said panel and adrain pipe including tabs extending from at least one surface outwardlyfrom the panel and with holes for receiving said drain pipe,andcooperating blocks on said panel engageable with said drain pipe as itextends through said holes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS406,198 Coyne July 2, 1889 2,585,192 Troiel Feb. l2, 1952 2,950,575Hellwig Aug. 10, 1960

3. A PLUMBING AID FOR INSTALLING A PLUMBING INSTALLATION IN THE WALL OFA BUILDING, SAID WALL HAVING STUDS TO WHICH WALL BOARD CAN BE ATTACHED;SAID PLUMBING INSTALLATION TO HAVE A WATER PIPE WITHIN AND EXTENDINGTHROUGH THE WALL AND A DRAIN PIPE WITH A VERTICAL SEGMENT WITHIN THEWALL; AND SAID PLUMBING AID HAVING A BACK SURFACE WHICH WILL FIT FLUSHAGAINST THE STUDS, A FRONT SURFACE RESEMBLING THE WALL BOARD CUSTOMARILYUSED IN BUILDINGS, INDICIA ON ITS BACK SURFACE WHOSE POSITIONS ON SAIDSURFACE CORRESPOND TO THE POSITION OF THE WATER PIPE RELATIVE TO THEBACK SURFACE OF THE PANEL WHEN IT IS INSTALLED IN THE WALL AND THE PANELIS FLUSH AGAINST THE STUDS, TABS EXTENDING FROM AND PERPENDICULAR TO ITSBACK SURFACE WITH HOLES WHOSE CENTERS CORRESPOND IN POSITION WITHREFERENCE TO THE PANEL TO THE POSITION OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE VERTICALSEGMENT OF THE DRAIN PIPE WITHIN THE WALL WITH REFERENCE TO THE PANELWHEN THE SAID SEGMENT IS INSTALLED IN THE WALL AND THE PANEL IS FLUSHAGAINST THE STUDS, AND HOLES PASSING THROUGH IT AT THOSE LOCATIONS INWHICH THE WATER PIPE WILL PASS THROUGH IT WHEN IT IS INSTALLED AND THEPANEL IS FLUSH AGAINST THE STUDS.